Space heater



y 6,1969 R. A. WELCH, SR 3,443,062

SPACE HEATER Filed June 21, 1966 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR.

P1555; Alva-Lease BY M4 0, 557715, 8478454425? 4 Cm/a y 6, 1969 r R. A. WELCH, SR 3,443,062

SPACE HEATER Filed June-21, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 j-Ta. 6

IN VENTOR.

IQQJLSEL 4. Mac/1g 6e BY 4 ,q yb &

United States Patent 3,443,062 SPACE HEATER Russel A. Welch, Sr., St. Clair Shores, Mich, assignor of forty-five percent to Eugene A. Casaroll, Grosse Pointe, and five percent to Paul G. Hague, Mount Clemens,

Mich.

Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,164 Int. Cl. F24h 7/06 US. Cl. 219-365 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to space heaters and more particularly to space heater units utilizing a radiant heating element and improved arrangements of liquid cells wherein a portion of the radiant energy produced by the heating element is absorbed by the liquid cells and subsequently conveyed by convection to air flowing through the heater into the heated space.

It has previously been proposed to employ electric heaters which were operated partly by convection and partly by direct radiation into the space to be heated. Such heaters were controlled thermostatically to control the off and on phases of the heater cycle. When the temperature in the space being heated would rise to a predetermined comfort level the thermostat operated to place the heater on the off phase of the heater cycle which promptly discontinued producing heat until the heater was placed on the on phase of its cycle, Between the off and on phases of the heater cycle there was a so-called low spot in the temperature in the space heated resulting in discomfort to the occupants in said space.

The present invention overcomes the above problem by providing an electrical heater which heats substantially by convection and in which improved liquid sink arrangements are provided to continue heating between the off and on phases of the heater cycle to result in sustained comfort.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an improved liquid and electrical space heater unit wherein the radiant energy produced by an electrical heating element is partially absorbed in improved liquid cells to continue heating during the off phase of the cycle of the heating element and liquid conduits connect the outlets of one cell with the inlets of the other said improved liquid cells and an additional conduit extends below the bottom edges and connects the outlet of the latter cell with the inlet of the other cell in convection fluid flow relation.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved liquid cell arrangement formed of improved sink elements with short crossover conduits which do not extend into said plates to an appreciable extent.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a heater liquid cells positioned in an improved arrangement to absorb some of the heat of an electrical heating element thereby reducing the temperature from the enclosing casing to permit operation of the heating element at a rela tively high temperature.

A further object of my invention is to utilize in a space heater improved liquid cells formed in spaced apart arrangement with a bafile adjacent the rear cell and an elongated electric heating element between the baflle and 3,443,062 Patented May 6, 1969 the front cell and two crossover conduits connecting the adjacent ends on one end of said cells and a crossover conduit connects the adjacent ends at the opposite ends of said cells to provide for the proper flow and even temperatures throughout the cells without the possibility of vapor locks in said cells.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the heater of the present invention mounted on a supporting wall surface;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the heater with parts broken away for the purpose of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a view partly broken away and showing the left end of the heater as shown and viewed in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the liquid cells connected by the crossover tubes with the heater therebetween and the bafile omitted.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of FIGURE 4 taken from the left end thereof as viewed in the drawings;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the heaters embodying my invention arranged side by side so as to heat two rooms on opposite sides of a wall partition.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In accordance with my invention two short crossover tubes are utilized for connecting adjacent ends of two liquid cells at one end thereof with one tube being above the other and a short crossover tube connects the bottom surfaces of the two cells adjacent the opposite ends of the two cells. A baffle is placed between the two cells adjacent the rear cell. A heating element is positioned between the baffie and the front cell. Thus the front cell is exposed to direct radiation from the heating element which results in the front cell rising in temperature above that in the rear cell. The heated liquid after being heated up in the front cell will then flow through the two short tubes into one end of the rear cell and then through the rear cell to the bottom surface crossover tube and through said tube into the opposite end of the front cell. The first flow is through the top tube of the two short tubes and then later through the bottom of said two tubes to provide simultaneous flow through the two tubes when the temperature of the liquid in the front cell reaches a certain high value.

A large amount of the air flowing through the housing which encloses the cells passes over the heating element and the front cell which element and cell are arranged in parallel side by side relation. The rear cell is mounted behind an L-shaped bafile.

The two short tubes are arranged to conduct liquid in parallel flow relationship from one cell to the other but the flow through the front and rear cells is in series flow relation.

The two short crossover tubes are arranged in parallel with one tube connecting the upper portion of the front cell with the upper adjacent end of the rear cell. The second short tube connects the lower portion of the front and rear cells at adjacent ends thereof and immediately below the upper short tube but above the lower edges of the cells. The single crossover tube is connected to the opposite ends of the cells. It is curved and is connected to the bottom surfaces of both cells and curved below the two short tubes at the opposite ends of said cells.

When the heater is energized the temperature of the liquid in the front cell will rise quicker than the liquid in the rear cell. Thus the heated liquid in the front cell will flow through the two short tubes at one end of the cell into the rear cell and then some liquid will flow through the rear cell and the single short crossover tube into the front cell at the opposite end of the cells from where the two short tubes are located. This circulation takes place during the operation of the heating element.

Since a large amount of the air flows through the housing over the heating element and front cell these two do considerable heating. When the heating element is deenergi'zed the heating element promptly discontinues heating and the front and rear cells continue to supply heat to air passing thereover. In the event the temperature of the liquid in the front cell should fall below the temperature of the liquid in the rear cell the circulation through the two cells may be reversed until the temperature of the liquid in the two cells equalize. This may take place during moderate weather when the heater off and on phases are longer than in cold weather.

There are advantages in this liquid flow arrangement in that liquid flows from one cell to the other with the liquid leaving the upper and lower part of the cell and enters the upper and lower part of the other cell. This gives proper circulation through the cells to provide uniform temperature throughout and to avoid vapor lock. This is accomplished by reason of the single crossover tube at the opposite end of the cells. This arrangement also permits the use of short crossover tubes which are readily assembled with the cells in an inexpensive manner because very little of the tubes extend into the cells.

The use of short crossover tubes have the advantage over long tubes extending into the cells as the long tubes may cant downwardly and cause gurgling which is avoided by the short tubes. The short crossover tubes are simply to install and are less expensive than long crossover tubes which extend a considerable distance into the cells and must be driven therein which is a characteristic not present in short crossover tubes. Furthermore the use of long crossover tubes which extend in the cells create vapor locks due to poor air flow particularly when the single short crossover tube is not utilized on the ends of the cells opposite the ends having the two crossover tubes. The two crossover tubes at one end cause the heated liquid to flow therethrough from the front cell to the rear cell and back through the single tube as the single crossover tube at the opposite end of the cells amounts to a restriction because of the two tubes to one tube relationship.

The single crossover tube acts as a back pressure arrangement and controls flow of liquid in half the area and balances against surges because of the two tubes to one tube arrangement.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the heater of the present invention is adapted for mounting on the wall 12 of a dwelling. The heater 10 is mounted only a short distance above the floor 14 so that heat from the unit will rise to heat the room. The heater unit includes an elongated housing 16 having an elongated upper opening 18, elongated lower opening 20 and spaced apart openings 22 intermediate the upper and lower openings for the circulation of air therethrough.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 4 it will be noted that the housing 16, which is constructed of sheet metal has a generally rectangular cross section. The housing has a bottom wall 24, back wall 26 and top wall 28. The ends of the unit are closed by end walls 30.

An elongated plate 32 is provided within the housing and extends the length thereof. The plate 32 has one flange 34 which is secured to the back wall 26 and a down turned portion 36 which extends into abutment with the bottom wall 24. The bottom wall 24 and plate 32 define an elongated cavity 38. The cavity 38 may serve as an enclosure which acts to insulate the bottom of the heater from the floor. With respect to insulation, it will be noted that the front edge 40 of the bottom wall 24 is turned down. Thus the heater cannot be mounted directly on the floor but must be mounted in a manner spaced therefrom. The space between the heater and the floor also serves to insulate the heater from the floor.

A detachable front cover 42 completes the housing structure. The front cover defines, with the top wall 28 and bottom wall 24, the upper and lower openings 18, 20. Screen elements 44 and 46 are provided to guard the openings 18 and 20. The screen 44 is attached to a plate 62 of a baffle 56 along the edge 48. The lower screen 46 is attached to the front cover 42 along the edge 50.

As will be noted in FIGURE 3, the front cover 42 is provided with spring clips 52 which engage openings in brackets 54 mounted on the end walls 30 for detachable securement of the front cover to the housing 16.

As will be noted in FIGURE 3 the baffle 56 is L-shaped and is secured to the housing 16 by brackets 58 in spaced relation to the rear wall of the housing 16. The bafile 56 includes a vertically extending leg or plate 60 and a horizontally extending leg of plate 62. The baflle 56 serves to shield the back wall 26 against direct radiation of heat. The baffle 56 serves to mount an electrical heatingelement 64 and a liquid cell structure 66.

The liquid cell structure 66 includes spaced apart side by side cells 68 and 70 respectively. These cells 68 and 70 are of plate or panel type construction. The liquid cell structure 66 is shown in FIGURES 2 to 6 inclusive. The cell members 68 and 70 are connected together by short crossover tubes 76 and 78 which are received a slight distance into one end of the cells with tube 76 being near the lower part of the cells and tube 78 being near the upper part of the cells. The liquid cell structure includes a single short crossover tube 84 on the opposite end of the cells which is secured in the bottom surfaces of the cells and is curved below said cells and extends a slight distance into said cells. This completes a convection fluid flow circuit through the liquid cell structure. The circuit includes the cells 68 and 70, tubes 76 and 78 at the outlet of cell 68 and inlet of cell 70 through cell 70 and back into cell 68 through the single crossover tube 84. This connects the cells 68 and 70 in series circuit convection fluid flow relation and it will be noted that the cells 68 and 70 are positioned in the housing 16 in spaced apart parallel relationship but not parallel flow relation.

The L-shaped baffle 56 is positioned between cells 68 and 70 and adjacent the cell or liquid conducting means 70 and extends substantially from one end to the other of the housing 16. The cells 68 and 70 are positioned in the housing 16 with the cell 68 being in front of the cell 70. The heating element 64 is an elongated electrical member and is connected on one end thereof to a guard box 100. The heating element 64 extends between the cell 68 and baflle 56. The heating element 64 is attached to the guard box by lead wires to the heating element 64. Any suitable thermostat may be connected to the wires 110.

The cells are provided with a threaded plug 120. The liquid cell structure 66 is substantially filled with a liquid, such as water. The cell structure 66 may be filled by removing plug 120. The liquid is added at room temperature to a level sufficiently high that upon heating of the unit to operating temperatures, the liquid will expand and fill the cells. Upon expansion the liquid rises and drives out any air or excess liquid through the opening in the cell. Later the plug is replaced and when the heater 64 is de-energized, the liquid in structure 66 will cool and contract leaving a partial vacuum in the space above the liquid level. Subsequent reheating of the unit will cause expansion of the liquid to again fill the cells. By

this arrangement there will be no gurgling or popping noises resulting from circulation of the liquid in the cell structure 66.

In operation of the invention, the heating element 64 is energized. Suitable thermostatic control means may be provided to control energization and .de-energization of the heating element. The heating element 64 positioned between liquid 68 and between the baflle 56 and this bafile is spaced from the rear wall of the housing 16 so that very little heat is transmitted to the rear wall of the housing 16.

When the heating element 64 begins to heat up, the surrounding air moves upwardly and out of the unit through the upper opening 18. At this time cooler air enters the lower opening 20'. The heating element thus provides immediate comfort when it is energized.

Radiation and convection fluid flow of heat from the heating element 64 into the cells 68 and 70 causes the liquid therein to be heated and the warm liquid rises to cause convection fluid flow circulation through the liquid cell structure 66. The flow of liquid through the structure 66 is through the outlets of the cell 68, through the tubes 76 and 78 and through tube cell 70 and tube 84 from the outlet of cell 70 into the inlet of cell 68. It will be noted that the fluid flow through the cells 68 and 70 is in series circuit relation.

The flow of air through the housing 16 is by entering the lower opening 20, over the cells 68 and 70 on both sides of the battle 56, heating element 64 and out the upper opening 18. The horizontal leg 62 of the battle 56 and top 28 directs the heated air toward the opening 18. The flow of air over the cells 68 and 70 acts to intercept radiation from the heating element 64 to thus shield the walls of the housing 16 as the volume of heat absorbed by the cells and cell bar is higher than that which may be absorbed by bathe 56. As a consequence of this arrangement, the heating element 64 may run at a higher temperature without overheating the walls of the housing.

A further advantage of the liquid cell structure 66 resides in that the cell structure acts as a liquid sink. When the heater is turned olf because the temperature in the room being heated has risen to the desired point, the cell structure continues to provide heat for a period of time. As a result, the heating element 64 need not be energized as frequently as is the case when a heat sink is not provided.

FIGURE 6 discloses a multiple heater arrangement mounted in a wall having two like heaters 10, positioned side by side with one heater delivering heat from a housing 170 into one room and the other heater delivering heat into an adjacent room. The cells and short crossover tubes are the same as disclosed in FIGURES 2 to 5 inclusive.

In view of the above it will be noted that the cells have two short crossover spaced. apart tubes adjacent the ends of one end thereof with one of these tubes being adjacent the upper part of the cells and the other being adjacent the lower part of the cells. At the opposite ends of the cells there is provided a short crossover tube which is connected to the bottom surfaces of the cells and is curved below the cells and the two crossover tubes at the other ends of the cells. Because there are two crossover tubes on one end of the cells and only one crossover tube on the opposite ends thereof the heated liquid will flow from the front cell to the rear cell through the two tubes and the single crossover tube at the other end of the cells -will act as a restrictor to limit the rate of flow through the cells to prevent gurgling and vapor lock as surging cannot take place.

As previously stated the short crossover tubes are less expensive than the long crossover tube and the need for driving the tubes into the cells is avoided and the single crossover tube controls the liquid flow and the efficiency of the heater.

Although only preferred forms of the invention have been illustrated, and those forms in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A space heater comprising heating means, first and second elongated liquid cell means with at least one of said cell means in direct heat exchange relation with said heating means, said first cell means having at least two outlets at one end thereof and one inlet adjacent the opposite end and in the lower portion thereof, said second cell means having at least two inlets at one end thereof and one outlet adjacent the opposite end and in the lower portion thereof, conduit means connecting each said outlets of said first cell means to separate ones of said inlets of said second cell means, and a crossover conduit mean connecting said inlet of said first cell means with the outlet of said second cell means, said conduit means connecting said cell means in series convection fiow relation.

2. A space heater as defined in claim 1 wherein the heating means includes an element extending longitudinal ly between the liquid cell means.

3. A space heater as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that the heating means includes an elongated electrical element extending between the liquid cell means and an elongated bafile extending between one of said cell means and said elongated electrical element.

4. A space heater as defined in claim 1, in which said outlets for said first cell means are vertically spaced on said one end and said inlets of said second cell means are vertically spaced on said one end with said conduit means comprising a conduit for each pair of inlet and outlet openings on said one end of said first and second cell means.

5. A space heater as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second liquid cells are positioned in space parallel relation.

6. A space heater as defined in claim 5, in which said inlet of said first cell means and said outlet of said second cell means are located in a bottom surface of the respective cell means.

7. A space heater comprising an elongated housing, first and second elongated liquid cells disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other in said housing, heating means disposed in alignment with said cells and in direct heat exchange relation with at least one of said cells, means defining a plurality of inlet openings adjacent one end of said first cell and an equal number of outlet openings adjacent one end of said second cell, means defining a single outlet opening adjacent the opposite end of each of said first and second cells, conduits connecting each of said inlet openings of said first cell with separate ones of said outlet openings of said second cell, and a further conduit connecting the outlet opening of said second cell with the inlet opening of said first cell, said conduits connecting said cells in series convection flow relation.

8. A space heater as defined in claim 7 further characterized in that the heating means include an element extending longitudinally between said liquid cells and the conduits connecting the outlets of said cells with the inlets thereof are short tubes with the tubes adjacent said one end located one above the other as means for circulating heated liquid from said first to second liquid cell for radiating heat from the cells to air passing thereover, said conduit connecting said single inlet and single outlet being connected to the bottom surfaces of said cells and extend therebelow to conduct liquid from the single outlet of the first cell to the single inlet of the second cell and to provide uniform temperatures throughout the cells by controlling the flow of liquid therethrough in restricted relationship with the tubes at said one end of the cells,

and an L-shaped bafile positioned along the rear side of said heating element and in front of said second liquid cell.

9. A space heater as defined in claim 7, wherein said one end of said cells are located adjacent one end of said housing and said opposite ends of said cells are located adjacent the opposite end of said housing.

10. A space heater as defined in claim 7, in which said plurality of inlet and outlet openings respectively comprise a pair of vertically spaced openings located adjacent upper and lower edges of said one end.

11. A space heater as defined in claim 10, in which said single inlet and outlet openings are located in bottom Walls of the respective cells.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X. R. 

